Las Vegas, NV– –Chloe Kitts scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Tessa Johnson contributed 15 points to lead top-ranked South Carolina to a hard-fought 68-62 win over Michigan on Monday night in the Hall of Fame Series.
Joyce Edwards added 10 points for the Gamecocks, who are coming off a national championship season.
Michigan was led by Syla Swords, who had an impressive 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Jordan Hobbs, who scored 19 points.
Favored by 21.5 points, South Carolina faced an unexpected challenge in its season opener as Michigan battled to within two points, 64-62, with just 22 seconds remaining. However, South Carolina managed to hold off the Wolverines in the final moments.
The Gamecocks, returning nine out of 11 players from last season, are without 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso, who was drafted third by the Chicago Sky in the WNBA draft after leading South Carolina in scoring and rebounding last year.
Takeaways:
Michigan: The Wolverines continue to show they can compete against top-ranked teams, as seen in previous upsets over No. 5 Baylor in December 2021 and No. 5 Indiana in January 2022.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks used their depth effectively, with their bench outscoring Michigan’s 29-6, which proved pivotal in the win.
Key Moment:
Free throws ultimately made the difference. After Michigan cut South Carolina’s lead to two points, the Gamecocks secured the win by sinking four of six free throws down the stretch.
Key Stat:
21%— Michigan’s shooting percentage in the second half, which hindered their comeback effort.
Up Next:
South Carolina faces N.C. State on Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina, while Michigan begins a five-game homestand against Lehigh on Friday.
